What have I done?
by Just another fan for life
Summary: What if Sam had to move on? What if Sam and Danny could no longer be Sam and Danny. What if he was too late? What could have been will never be... one-shot


**Just added and changed a couple things not an actual update.**

**Hey guys! I know you're totally going to kill me for not updating my other stories and just posting this buuuuut... it's a one-shot so no continuation or anything.**

**So i was in NYC for the past 2 weeks staying with some family and wow it was such a good break away from the stresses of life! ended way to quickly but got some major writing done for my own stories!**

**Anywhooo...**

**Summary is: What if Sam had to move on? What if Sam and Danny could no longer be Sam and Danny. What if he was too late? What could have been will never be...**

**Disclaimer: I'm not orange or a male therefore i am not nickelodeon or butch so buzz off...**

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_Danny's POV_

A large white building looms over head.

Why didn't I say something while I had the chance?

Loud gold bells ring with a bittersweet beautiful noise.

Why was I so afraid?

Large oak doors swing open in front of me.

Why was it never the right moment?

Laughter and smiles float around me.

What have I done?

The chapel is gorgeous and the cake is huge. The whole ceremony promises to be extravagant and lovely. A beautiful woman is marrying a nice enough guy. The bridesmaids file in wearing flowing lavender gowns and several men waltz in wearing black tuxes and a purple flower. I stand in the back of the room, far from the procession. I see one man that sticks out from the rest. This man is wearing a red beret. He's my best friend, Tucker Foley. He spots me looming in the shadows and stops his laughing. He makes his way over to me slowly.

"Hey man," he greets with a wave, "Glad you could make it,"

I grunt at the comment. I had no idea why I was there and certainly not happy about it.

"Dude, she'll be happy you came," he eyed me wearily, "But, don't mess this up for her. She's happy and this is good for her. Be okay around her,"

"Whatever," I let a sarcastic smile grace my lips, "I don't even know why I came,"

"You love her," he sighs, "it's as simple as that. You have for a long time but now you need the closure,"

I grabbed him by the lapels and pushed him back, "You don't know what you're talking about," I growled.

"Take it easy, man," Tucker breathes, "She waited for you and watched you pine over numerous other girls. What did you expect her to do, wait for you forever? She moved on and found someone she likes and her parents approve of. She found someone who wants to start a life with her. That's all she's really wanted, to be needed,"

"Stop, now," I ground between my teeth.

Tucker takes one last sweeping look at me, "He's a good guy, D. That said, I've believed this from the start," he said, "It should have been you," and he turned his back and proceeded back to his spot as best man.

My eyes flashed green as I ground my nails into my palm. I looked to the doorway again and realized its beautiful siren song of relief from this nightmare was too great to deny. I made my way to the door but stopped short when a small hand placed itself firmly on my shoulder. I swung around to face someone I didn't want to see.

"Jazz," I seethed.

"Listen," Jazz demanded, "She wants you here. You can't leave,"

"I can do whatever the hell I want to," I sneered, "You're her maid of honor," I laced the words with venom, "tell her some excuse for me,"

"Danny, please," her eyes pleaded with me as we stood before my large wood escape, "You owe this to her. We all just want her to be happy. I know you do too and as hard as this is for you it's part of her dream. She needs you here and you know you have to stay. If you don't it won't only be her who regrets it,"

"I am so sick of people telling me how I do and will feel," I whispered forcefully, "What if I don't give a shit?"

"But you do," Jazz looked crestfallen as if by hurting me she were hurting herself worse, "You care so much you feel like you're going to explode but doing this," she gestured with her arms, "isn't going to make it hurt less. It's just going to hurt you and us more,"

"How do I make it not hurt at all?" I exhaled in exasperation.

"Little brother," she pushed back tears. She hadn't called me that in a long time, "I love you and I don't want anything to hurt you but there is nothing you can do now. It's just too late," She looked me in the eyes and kissed my cheek before rejoining the rest of the wedding party in the front.

So I walked to the middle of the aisle and stood for a moment thinking about how wrong it all felt. She should be married outdoors. She hates all this white and should have more dark colors. She shouldn't be getting married this young. She should be marrying me….

"Danny," a pleasured tone rung out.

"Mrs. Manson," I said lightly.

"Mrs. Manson? What happened to always calling me Grandma Ida?" she looked up from her scooter into my face with a slightly hurt and confused expression.

Even I wasn't completely heartless, "Sorry," I whispered to her, "Grandma Ida,"

"There," she said primly, "now that's better. So how have you been?"

It was a simple enough question but Danny knew there was so much more behind it, majorly how are you holding up about her marriage.

"I'm fine," I didn't trust my voice for but a few words at a time.

"Really?" Grandma eyed me suspiciously, "You know, Danny, I've never been one for a dull wedding. I do so hope someone shakes it up," she winked at me and went into the bride's room.

Without a second to think I turned around and ran into Valerie. What she was doing as a bridesmaid was beyond me, "Hi Val," I nodded to her.

"Hey Danny," she returned, "Isn't this great?"

"Fantastic," I made sure my sarcasm dripped.

She didn't even notice, "You know," she said with her eyes glazed over in thought, "I always imagined a chapel wedding if you and I ever worked out. Too bad we broke up," she laughed lightly and continued, "But I always thought I would lose you to her,"

"Well looks like you were wrong," I growled.

"No, I was right," she sighed, "I lost you to her but you lost her in turn,"

That conversation was the only one I had to walk away from that night and I nearly made a run for it. Those doors kept looking better and better. I was nearly there when none other than my two least favorite people stopped me.

"Daniel," one snide voice chimed, "How nice of you to come,"

"Yes," the other joined, "Our dear Sammykins will be so pleased that you could make it,"

"But if you have to go," Pamela rang, "Don't worry, we'll pass on the message," she snickered as she walked away.

I groaned at that horrible woman's attitude but realized who I was left standing with.

"Mr. Manson?" I asked.

"Daniel," he stated, "Was it because of us that you never asked Sammy to go out?" Jeremy asked sincerely.

I was taken aback, "No Sir," I answered plainly.

He stared at me long and hard, "Alright, then I'm sorry to hear that. I never liked you, Danny, but you always treated her the way she should be treated and better than anyone else," he gave me one last gaze before he rejoined his wife.

That was the last straw I was so out of there. Keys, damnit, I don't have the keys. I could always go ghost. No, I don't want to attract attention to the area. I'll just grab the keys from… shit.

I walk over to where the keys for my peace of mind lay, with my parents, "Dad, Mom, can I have the keys?"

"Danny-boy!" my dad yelled, "Where ya going? The wedding hasn't even started yet! Suffering spooks is there a ghost!"

"Ghost? Where?" my mom screamed out while drawing out her wrist ray.

"No. Ghost." I bit out the words I was so sick of repeating, "I'm just getting out of here a little early, that's all,"

"Oh," Maddie sobered up and continued softly, "Okay honey. And sweetie?"

"Yeah, mom?" I replied.

"I'm sorry, baby," she whispered.

"I always thought Sam Fenton had a nice ring to it," Jack said rather sadly.

I was so sick of everyone telling me how wrong I was, how mad they were, or how in love with her I am! I had enough, "Listen, she and I are over, nothing happened and it never will," I yelled at them and I knew I was probably red in the face. Then under my breath I added, "I'm too late,"

I thought about the first time those words were said to me…

Flashback

I was dying. Of that I was sure. Anything else that was going on? I had absolutely no clue.

All the usual things associated with near-death experiences followed suit; extreme pain, nausea, and darkness.

My first coherent thought after swimming in pain was, I'm too young to die. Then it was, Sam. Those were my thoughts. Death and Sam. The two things I was most interested and afraid of in my life.

I opened my eyes to see the park and a bunch of blood pooled around my head. Death part of tonight's experience, check. Where's Sam?

I heard rather than saw Sam. She was crying to the right of me and she knew I was dying.

"Sam," I forced the words out of my scratchy throat and around the lump forming in it.

"Danny," she gasped. She took my hands and looked into my eyes.

"Sam," I sucked in as much air as I could as it was getting harder to breath. I looked at her. I knew what I wanted to say but somehow nothing came forward.

"What is it, Danny?" Sam struggled to keep her tears under control.

I lay looking up at her with nothing to offer her. I wanted to say goodbye and that I loved her. I wanted to tell her what she meant to me but nothing came. I waited and waited. Until the darkness enveloped me again, my last image was her crying face and my chance was gone.

So many things I wanted to say in that last moment. But I couldn't find the words so I lay there silent. So many things I wished to say. But now that moments gone away. Now my silence cuts to my core. What was I waiting for?

I woke up in a hospital bed a few days later remembering the battle with Skulker that I had on that hill. I remembered that Sam wanted to tell me something important. I looked around me to see she was there and we had a heartfelt reunion. She checked me out later that day and we went to the park. I wanted to tell her I loved her so I did.

"Sam, listen," I took her hands under our favorite tree; "I wanted to tell you so many things when I thought I was going to die but I couldn't. So I want to tell you now, while I have the chance," I smiled down at her and she glowed up at me. She was perfect and I was set in my decision.

"I have news to tell you, too," Sam gleamed as she spoke.

"Well, I wanted to tell you how much you mean to me," I started.

Sam's huge smile faltered a bit at that but she stayed silent so I could continue, "You're always there for me and no matter how big of a jerk I am you stick up for me and by me,"

She got a strange look on her face then and I could have sworn I saw a twinge of fear in her eyes, "Of course, Danny, that's what friends are for. I'll always be your best friend,"

"No Sam," I enforced a little surprised she wasn't getting it, "I don't mean as friends,"

Sam paled worse than I had ever seen, "Danny, don't," she whispered.

She took her hands out of mine as I said, "Sam? What's wrong?"

"Don't do this Danny. Not now, after all this time," tears began streaming down her face.

I started to panic as I shushed her and wiped away her tears, "Sam, don't cry. I want to make sure there's no reason for you to cry! Sam, I love you, I've always loved you," I kissed her. With all the passion the universe could muster I held my love in my arms to protect her and to kiss her. All I wanted was her safety and her happiness. All I wanted in that moment was to love her, to be with her. I pressed my lips hard on hers and she responded with moving her body closer to mine. The moment dissolved into the passion of our love that poured into the soul searing kiss of years of bottled emotion. It was wild, it was hungry, and most of all it was beautiful.

But that only made her cry harder. She was wracked with sobs as she knelt to the ground. I knelt with her and tried to comfort her, "Sam its okay. I promise nothing will ruin our friendship. Just give me a chance, it'll be okay," No words came; she just thrust out her hand. On it was a beautiful diamond ring, right where a wedding ring should be, "How?"

Sam looked up at me and collected herself enough to answer, "Jesse, the guy from my band, we've been going out. That's what I wanted to tell you at the park, Danny. H-he asked me to marry him…"

I was stunned, "B-but I" I mumbled.

"I wanted to ask you that day if I should accept. I wanted to know if you could ever need me. You didn't have to love me just need me. But, when you were attacked you still didn't need me, you said nothing. I realized that I couldn't keep doing that Danny! So while you were in your coma I said yes," Sam looked like she was falling apart from the inside out, piece by piece.

That was just how I felt except in a more violent way, "But, you can change your mind," I was breathing heavy, "You can call it off! Sam I love you! We belong together,"

"Maybe I don't want to change my mind! He loves me, Danny," Sam looked away as she stood, "I don't have to worry about whether he's going to make it through the day or fall for another girl. He's stable and he loves me,"

"But you don't love him!" I screamed in frenzy. The prospect of losing the one true love of my life truly setting in, "Don't you love me?"

_Narrator POV_

"I've wanted to say a lot of things to you over the years Danny, but they would hurt you so I didn't say them. I buried them and let them hurt me instead. I'm done now and you're too late," Sam looked at Danny and told her best friend the only lie she ever told him, "I used to love you," and she walked out of the park and right over Danny's heart.

_Danny's POV_

I was breaking into about a trillion irrevocably damaged pieces that could never really be whole again and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Then I realized there was nothing worse in the world than falling for someone who used to love you.

For a few months I went without speaking to the one person that mattered the most in my life and just when I felt I could breathe again I got the invitation in the mail. The wedding invitation for Sam Manson and Jesse Talamon.

That day was a day the news reporters had a field day. That was the day Danny Phantom went on a rampage and destroyed two buildings. On that day, Sam Manson didn't leave her room.

End Flashback

I was going to be sick. I remembered it all in agonizing detail and fought back tears as they threatened to roll down my face betraying my stoic façade. I hit the door hard and stumbled down the steps. I ran into a small figure.

"Hey, watch where you're…" the figure started only to cut off.

"Sam," I tasted her name on my tongue now a bittersweet taste but always my favorite flavor. She stood in front of me in a white ball gown dress with her hair pinned up and a bunch of pink make-up.

"Hi Danny," she smiled.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked.

"I wish I knew," she answered.

"You look…" I thought she looked beautiful but, "weird,"

"Excuse me?" she scoffed a ghost of a smirk on her features.

"You don't look like Sam," I said bluntly. Every fiber of my being was screaming at me to get out of there but Sam kept me rooted to the spot. She was hypnotizing.

"People change," Sam sighed.

"Yeah, it just sucks remembering how things used to be," I told her truthfully.

"I'm really not heartless Danny," Sam breathed, "I just learned to use my heart less,"

An awkward silence ensued. We were in that awkward phase of getting to un-know one another.

"There's nothing I can do to change your mind," I said rather than asked.

"You can, Danny," she sighed, "You've always had that power. But would you want to? You'd always see me as another man's as trapped or tricked,"

"I couldn't even if I wanted to," I said. More silence.

She spoke, "Can I say something?"

"Go on,"

"Just… I missed you,"

"I missed you too," I found myself saying.

"But so, so much, Danny. There were so many things I wanted to talk to you about, and you weren't there," she explained.

"Same here,"

"When I didn't see you I thought about you every day. Even if it was just, 'I wish Danny could see this' or 'Where's Danny now?' or 'Christ that Danny, what an idiot' you know what I mean? And seeing you today, well, I thought maybe I got you back, my best friend. But all this, the wedding, I'm so happy, D, but it feels like I've lost you again,"

"I know," I replied simply.

"Promise we'll keep in touch and no more disappearing,"

I stood silent, this time by choice.

"Please promise because if you promise I know I have nothing to worry about,"

"You have a wedding to attend, Sammy," I said as a tear rolled down her cheek. Our lips touched, mouths pursed tight, our eyes open, both of us stock still. It stood in stark contrast to how we kissed for love. This kiss was for closure not out of love. They say closure helps and it does, but it's still cold. The moment held, a kind of glorious confusion. Then I escorted her inside. She walked away from me and to her father and the ceremony began.

_Narrator's POV_

Danny took his seat on the edge of the last pew. The wedding proceeded normally with Sam walking with her father down the aisle to the pianist playing here comes the bride. In the middle of the walk Jeremy whispered to her, "When you love someone, it's never over. You move on, because you have to, but you bring him in your heart," and to that Sam paused.

She didn't want to take another step but she did.

She went to her fiancée and stood before a priest even though she wasn't catholic. The priest gave his service per usual. Then came the one sentence everyone in the room was nervous for. All for different reasons but still nervous. The priest said, "Now if there is anyone who believes that these two should not be wed speak now or forever hold your peace,"

It felt as though the room itself had tensed. Tucker looked over to Danny hoping in his heart of hearts that Danny had done something sooner but that he stayed silent now. Jazz looked to her little brother remembering his happy go lucky attitude when he was in high school and how maybe if he said something or she said something it would make a difference. Grandma Ida looked at Danny desperately wanting him to stop the wedding, for him to marry Sam. Jeremy looked at Danny knowing that because he loved Sam he wouldn't say anything but maybe because he really loved her, her father should. His parents looked at Danny with an ache knowing how difficult it is for their son. But Danny kept his eyes locked on Sam. After dutifully avoiding his gaze Sam heard Danny get up from his seat. The whole room held its breath waiting for what Danny would do. So Sam looked at him and with her amethyst eyes that he had been so comfortable around he saw them beg. Her eyes begged him not to say anything, to leave her to marry this man. This man who was so painfully not him.

But Danny obeyed. He felt it was the last request of the death of their beautiful friendship, the official end of that glorious part of their lives. Danny with all eyes on him walked out of the chapel and out of Sam's life.

The room was silent, everyone wondering if they should make the mistake of speaking up. They wondered if silence was the mistake. In the end that moment was a lot like life and no one knew which mistake to make so silence it was. A painful stark silence.

"Do you need to go after him?" Jesse asked Sam.

She smiled at how kind he was despite the tears of the love she had just lost, "It's strange, really. A couple months ago, I had thought I couldn't live without him. Apparently, I could," she whispered.

That night Sam Manson was married. That was Sam's last night in Amity Park. She was done with her past except for in her memories. From then on Sam had a happy smile on her face only when she slept because she dreamt of her world if she stayed in Amity, she dreamt of the world of her memories.

That night though, Sam cried herself to sleep. As did Danny.

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**Wow, sorry that sounded so rushed... it was really kinda fast and jumbled. sorry about that.**

**Other than that i actually kinda liked it. it was a one-shot and it popped into my head at...**

**4:47a.m. so bear with me haha**

**Tell me what you thought with that cute little review button!**


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